Lemon.io

Lemon.io operates as a marketplace connecting early-stage startups with vetted freelance software developers. The firm was founded in 2015 by Aleksandr Volodarsky, a Ukrainian native with a background in business development for outsourcing companies. Initially launched as a side hustle called Coding Ninjas, the venture began when Volodarsky, then working for an IT company in Israel, started connecting his network of developers with businesses for a commission. After the project reached a $10,000 monthly gross merchandise value, he dedicated himself to it full-time and was later joined by co-founders Vasyl Dzesa as COO and Anvar Azizov as CTO.

The company's business model is centered on a commission fee, taking approximately 25% of the hourly rate charged to the client. In April 2020, the company rebranded to Lemon.io and pivoted to focus specifically on serving US-based startups with teams of 1-100 employees, a move that spurred significant growth. The platform's core offering is its rigorous, human-led vetting process, which it claims only 1.2% of applicants pass. This four-step process includes a resume review, a soft skills and English proficiency interview, and a technical screening with senior engineers. This curation allows the company to match clients with 2-3 suitable candidates within 24 to 48 hours.

Lemon.io provides developers for a wide range of needs, from building prototypes to refactoring legacy code and adding specific skills to a startup's existing team. The service is structured with flexible, month-to-month contracts, allowing clients to scale their development team up or down as needed and even hire a developer permanently for a recruiting fee. The platform handles all administrative tasks, including payments and invoicing, to streamline the process for its clients. The company primarily serves startups that require a fast, hands-off approach to hiring reliable technical talent from a global pool, mainly from Europe, Latin America, and Canada.

Keywords: freelance developer marketplace, vetted engineers, startup hiring, software developer outsourcing, technical talent platform, remote developers, Aleksandr Volodarsky, hire engineers, tech recruitment, developer vetting, on-demand developers, Eastern Europe developers, Latin America developers, scale development team, monthly developer subscription, Coding Ninjas, outsource engineering, HR tech, agile development teams, startup tech talent